Needs Saying
by tromana
Summary: No Erimem, be serious," Peri shouted. "This could cost you your life, and I don't want to lose you. Not yet." Peri/Erimem fic based on the Telos novella 'Blood and Hope'.


**Title:** Needs Saying  
**Author:** tromana  
**Rating:** T  
**Characters:** Peri/Erimem  
**Spoilers: **None. Well. You need to know who Erimem is and have read 'Blood and Hope'.  
**Summary: **"No Erimem, be serious," Peri shouted. "This could cost you your life, and I don't want to lose you. Not yet."  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor Who.  
**Notes: **I think you need to have read the Telos Novella 'Blood and Hope'. This is set firmly within that story.

**Needs Saying**

Peri breathed a sigh of relief as Hilary Makepeace finally left them be, carrying a considerable sum of money for the rooms. Peri knew she shouldn't have been surprised at the sour old crone charging the Earth for them to stay, especially considering people in this time saw Erimem as a possession rather than the vivacious, inquisitive young woman she was. Eustace, Makepeace and the like would have collapsed from shock and maybe even horror, if they knew who Erimem really was.

Now all she had to do was explain it all to Erimem. In her own time, Erimem was, to all intents and purposes, seen as a God. Only with the Doctor could someone go from a position such as that to being nothing. Less than nothing, if that was possible. Peri was slowly beginning to learn that with the Doctor very little was impossible, just improbable.

She tapped gently on Erimem's door. When she approached, Erimem was still dressed in the jeans and blouse she had put on earlier, in the TARDIS. That felt like a lifetime ago, not hours. Erimem looked as tired as she felt, but still opened the door fully and beckoned her in. Peri was saddened to see that the bed was more than likely the worst in the house, but cursed herself for expecting anything less than someone like their new landlord.

"You look as tired as I feel," Erimem commented as Peri flopped on top of her bed.

"Thanks. That's not why I came here."

"I know," Erimem replied. "It's about earlier. Eustace and Makepeace, right?"

"Whisper," Peri hissed, slapping a hand over Erimem's mouth. "We can't let that old witch here you badmouthing her."

"Why not? If she was like this in my time, I'd have had her killed for treason."

Peri sighed as she collapsed back down on the bed. She had been putting off this discussion for quite some time. Erimem had been looking forward to seeing America, but Peri could only wish it wasn't in this situation, when Erimem would be seen as scum and Peri as a normal citizen. It was strange to think that in one hundred years time, they would be seen as equals. Then, Peri would have been willing to show her best friend her country with pride, instead of feeling slightly horrified by it all.

"Look, Erimem… this, this is not my country…"

"You said it was," Erimem frowned.

"No, that's not what I mean," Peri paused, trying to think of the best way to phrase it. "This is not my country as I know it. I mean, I always knew the Civil War was bad, but it's all in the history books and… and well, you don't know how bad it is until you see it."

Erimem nodded. "I would not understand what it was like at the time when Ra was walking among his people. But why are you so scared, Peri? I've never seen you so agitated."

"Eustace, you said he was crazy, right?"

Erimem nodded. There was a look in Eustace's eye every time he was forced to look at her, like if he was allowed to do what he wanted to do, she would no longer be living. And then, when he glanced at Erimem, he looked equally crazed, yet in an entirely different manner.

"Well, everyone around here's like that. Not just Eustace and Makepeace…"

"They are, unfortunately, not the exception to the rule?"

"Exactly!"

"And I have to pretend to be your slave because?"

"Because otherwise you will be killed," Peri replied. "In the South, here, I learned at school that everyone who was well, not white, was seen as a slave, a possession. It was because of this the civil war started."

"Why?"

"Because people started to see sense and that everyone was equal."

"I don't understand, Peri. We had slaves in my time; does that mean you see me as some kind of fool?"

"No, no of course not! Erimem, I know you're not. It's just if people see you acting, in what they see as being above your station, they'll quite happily kill you."

"Like I would have had one of my slaves who disobeyed killed in my time?" The thought of it stung. Erimem was slowly beginning to understand what it was like for them.

"I guess so."

"I don't see what the problem is."

"No Erimem, be serious," Peri shouted before quietening. She didn't want to attract the attention of Makepeace. "This could cost you your life, and I don't want to lose you. Not yet."

"I am not afraid to die, Peri."

"I know that, but I'm afraid to lose you, and I don't want you throwing away your life pointlessly."

"But…"

Peri leaned forwards, on a whim and quickly kissed Erimem firmly on the lips. Erimem, thoroughly surprised pulled away after a couple of seconds. She smiled, glancing at Peri as she felt her cheeks begin to redden. It appeared Peri was as flushed as she was.

"I shall be able to pretend," Erimem announced. "But Peri, what is a nigger?"

"An offensive term," Peri replied, quickly.

"I cannot be offended if I do not understand," Erimem declared. "I want you to start at the beginning and tell me everything."

Peri smiled. She should have known Erimem would want to know everything if they were to survive the next few weeks.

end


End file.
